Running Away
by alottosay
Summary: Felicity Smoak is running away from her problems- the main one being Oliver Queen.One shot that could possibly turn into something more.
1. Chapter 1

"He told me he loved me and simultaneously in that moment he ruined me. Somehow it didn't matter that it was for the mission because I couldn't get the moment out of my head then and I still can't now. I remember the almost whisper of him saying that Slade took the wrong woman and the vague smell of leather and sweat surrounding me as he stepped closer. I remember the way my breath hitched and butterflies flew around in my stomach as I shivered with anticipation. He leaned in towards me and said those three words that I never thought I would hear from Oliver Queen and then I knew. I've been told before "I love you" from guys I've dated, especially by that one lacrosse player, but this was different because I was not in a relationship with him yet somehow those three words made me want to be. Oliver Queen told me he loved me and I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time. I felt hope. With those three simple words all of the walls I had built up to protect myself from Oliver's charm and obvious attraction came crashing down. And then as if fate was playing a cruel joke on me I felt him place the syringe of the cure in my hand and I was back into reality. I shielded the hurt I was feeling and promised myself I would address it later when I got home with a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream and an episode of Doctor Who. I played the role Oliver needed me to play and then he was gone. The fantasy world I had been living in took one syringe to come crashing down around me and I realized that in the real world Oliver would never be in love with me. Sure he would love me as a friend or as a confidant, he would love me because of my computer skills but he would never be in love with me. He was doing the unthinkable in order to get Slade and I respected him for it but part of me hated him for making me realize what I had been subconsciously hiding from myself. That one-second before he slipped the syringe in my hand, I allowed myself to believe. Those three damn words were my undoing and now they are all I think about. Even after the trip to the island where he told me that we were both great actors essentially saying that we were each playing a part and that he didn't mean it, part of me believes he did. At night I lay awake in bed thinking about the look he had in his eyes and wondering if he was telling the truth. Oliver is awful at lying in general but he is especially worse when it comes to me making up things about coffee shops being in bad neighborhoods and sports drinks being in syringes. Either way, with those three damn words, he had opened my heart and my eyes. I love him. I am in love with him. Dammit. I was never one to care about boys but Oliver's not a boy, he's a man and he's all I think about now, which is not good. I close my eyes to dream and I am thrust back into the moment when I found him in the back of my car and am forced to relieve every moment we've ever had. I spend hours analyzing conversations and small touches and I want to scream at myself for becoming this girl. I need a break from him. I need to step away for a little and reevaluate the life I am leading. I'm proud that I have become more than the boring I.T. girl and I'm even more proud of the work I've done for Team Arrow that's saved lives but right now I am empty. I'm leaving town for a bit, actually I'm running away from my problems, but it shouldn't be a problem. With all the time Laurel is spending down here along with Roy I've managed to teach them the basics of what I do and if anything major pops up I wrote programs for them to use and I'm a phone call away. Digg, I need this so if you can try not to call. The only reason I am leaving you with this message is because I know you'll understand, you may not like it but you'll understand. I love you and am so happy that you are finally getting everything you in life that you and Lyla deserve. I'll be staying in Gotham indefinitely with Richard Grayson. Don't worry about me I'll be back before you know it. Be safe."

Felicity's video message suddenly disappeared from the computer screen and Dig let out an exhausted sigh. Oliver had promised when he dragged her into this that she wasn't going to get hurt but somehow she inadvertently had been and there's nothing he could do. What the hell was he going to tell Oliver, he questioned out loud silently hoping that he would get an answer from the empty foundry.

"You don't have to tell me anything Digg." Oliver responded as he fell from the top level of the` salmon ladder onto the mat and watched as Diggle internally cursed as he swiveled around in Felicity's chair to face him.

"I heard everything. And who the hell is Richard Grayson?"


	2. Chapter 2

Who the hell is Richard Grayson and why the hell was Felicity with him? This was ridiculous Felicity couldn't just run away from her problems! How could she leave us at a time like this? How could she leave me at a time like this? I want her back. No- I need her back. Oliver thought to himself as he swung back and forth on the salmon ladder.

"Diggle, run a full background check on Richard Grayson. I want to know everything there is to know about him before we go to Gotham and bring Felicity back. I'll book us flights on the next plane to Gotham." Oliver ordered as he dropped to the floor and headed over to the computers where Diggle was sitting.

"Oliver don't you think that going all the way to Gotham is the opposite of what Felicity wants. I mean she asked for a break so why don't we give it to her. Also, I am not running a background check on Richard Grayson because last time I did the dirty work for you and looked into Barry Allen it didn't end well for anyone. Felicity got her heart broken, she froze you out for a few days, and she used her significant skills to sign me up for hundreds of dating sites and I kept getting alerts on my phone every three seconds telling me that there were "Single waiting for me in the area". I trust Felicity, Oliver; out of the three of us she has had the best judge of character. She knew Isabel was bad news before we knew about her partnership with Slade. If you're so interested in Richard Grayson then you're going to have to look him up yourself. Now I've got baby books to go purchase and Roy will be here in a few hours to train. So until then if you feel like doing something crazy like showing up in Gotham, tracking down Felicity, throwing her over your shoulder and dragging her back here against her wishes- don't." Diggle said as he got up from Felicity's chair and made his way towards the staircase.

"Oliver, she is really hurting so why don't you let her have the space. Every time you run away to the island or to your second lair, she understands and gives you some time to be alone before finding you. You owe her the same in return." Diggle explained as he made his way up the stairs in the new foundry and punched in the code.

Oliver stared at the computers and then made his way over to where his bow was and picked it up. When did everything get so complicated, he thought to himself, had it always been this way and he was only beginning to notice or was a complicated life just another side effect of his five year stay on that hellish island?

He made his way over to the part of the lair Felicity had designated specifically as the corner for target practice far away from her computers. Target practice always gave him clarity and that's what he needed but there were reminders of her absence everywhere. It was in the silence of the lair devoid completely of her rhythmic tapping on the keys. It was in the empty chair that was facing him that would normally be filled with her. After about an hour Oliver couldn't stand it anymore. The idea of Felicity doing God knows what with God knows who in Gotham was enough to make him want to hop on his bike and ride all night to Gotham. He wasn't jealous, he was worried and in his mind he had every right to be. Felicity had this unwavering sense of innocence that he and Dig had lost long ago. She trusted too easily and if her interactions with Barry Allen were any indication she wore her heart on her sleeve. He sat down in Felicity's chair and reached for the mouse waiting silently for a moment to hear her angry voice from within the lair yelling at him to step away from her precious babies. With the silence of the foundry answering his silently prayer he opened the file Felicity had labeled background check typed in Richard Grayson. He hovered over the 'enter' button for a moment before deciding once and for all that he needed to know.

Richard John Grayson was a billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist. He was 6'2", making him slightly taller than Oliver, and had dark brown hair with blue eyes. He was an acrobat in a traveling circus as a child with his family up until their murder. After that Grayson disappeared from the face of the Earth only to resurface a few years later in Gotham as the adoptive son of Bruce Wayne, then CEO of Wayne Industries. Grayson was educated in Gotham and had been the CEO of Wayne Industries for a little over a year now. His picture was on the front page of every Gotham newspaper the only thing that changed was the article that accompanied each photo. Some articles discussed the great love the citizens of Gotham had as he had begun various initiatives throughout the city to make like better for its citizens. Other articles depicted Grayson in compromising positions with various women. It seemed that Gotham loved their resident playboy. A series of pings went off and new articles featuring Grayson popped up as the billionaire had been spotted picking up a blonde woman from the airport. Oliver clicked on an image of Grayson helping a blonde haired woman into his Rolls Royce. Although her face couldn't be seen, Grayson's showed his billion-dollar smile as he stared at his companion with a look of awe. Oliver's blood boiled. He had no doubt in his mind who the blonde Richard was staring at was. The look he had on his face was one Oliver had caught himself giving Felicity countless times before.

"Boy, Blondie sure has a type doesn't she?" Roy said from over Oliver's shoulder pulling him out of his investigation.

"What do you mean?" Oliver huffed out in response to Roy as he began closing out of all of the windows he had opened. The last window he couldn't force himself to close out of was the one of Richard helping Felicity into his car. What he would give to knock that stupid look off of Grayson's face if he had the chance.

"Well he's basically you from seven years ago besides the fact that he's actually pretty good at being CEO and he doesn't spend his nights in green leather jumping roof tops." Roy explained as he watched Oliver make a fist with his left hand.

"Roy how the hell did you know that this was related to Felicity in the first place?"

"Besides the fact that the picture in that article is clearly Felicity's curly blonde hair and the fact that Diggle sent me a text, she called me before she left town."

"What do you mean she called you before she left? Were you going to share this with the rest of the team or were you going to hide it just like you hid the letter Thea left you."

"Whoa dude calm down. Felicity just called me to tell me that she was leaving town but that even though she was gone that did not mean that she was going to give up searching for Thea. She also asked me to look after her computers here and make sure you and Diggle don't damage them before she comes back." Roy backed away from Oliver before continuing.

"Look, Oliver, I know that this isn't really any of my business and I know that I have not known Felicity as long as you but she sounded exhausted on the phone. I am completely aware that you can kick my ass in a million different ways for saying this but maybe we should just let her get whatever it is that is upsetting her out of her system. The sooner that happens the sooner she'll be back and if this Richard guy can help her do it then why not?"

"You're right Roy." Oliver told him as he closed out of the final image on the computer screen and made his way over to the training area.

"This isn't any of your business." Oliver said as he began sparing with Roy. He went after Roy using all of the rage and confusion he had been feeling. By the end of the training session Oliver had worked off all of his anger and confusion leaving him to feel as empty as the lair was without her presence.


End file.
